Board game



R. E. FLORY BOARD GAME Sept. 17, 1940.

Filed Feb. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jrvuewmu .REuaEn/E FLOR Y,

6 7 a H E R. E. FLORY 2,215,352

BOARD GAME Filed Feb. @1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 17, 1940.

Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a board game and more particularly to such a game wherein each player is provided with a counter or man which is moved along an extended circuit comprising a plurality of spaces in accordance with chance means such as dice and also in accordance with notations on cards which are drawn and played by the players as more fully described below.

It is an object of the invention to provide a board game wherein numbers upon many of the.

spaces in the circuit determine the number of cards which the player, whose counter is upon a given space, is to discard from his hand and todraw from a reserve supply of cards, the progress of the several players being determined to a. large extent by the cards which are discarded by the player and by the manner in which they are discarded.

It is another object to provide disabling sections located on a board game of the foregoing type and separated from the circuit of the counters, each corresponding to given portions of the circuit, so as to provide variety in the game there being provided difi'erent reentering spaces on the circuit for the different disabling sections.

It is another object to provide in a game of the foregoing type a plurality of cards comprising cards which when discarded in a certain manner are capable of being played upon by other players in such manner as to compel the player who discarded the same to remove his counter to one of said disabling sections.

It is a further object to' provide such a game wherein the pack of cards comprises cards which when discarded by a player shall determine the number of spaces forward or backward which the player shall move his own man or the men of his opponents, as he shall desire.

Other objects of this invention will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a representation of a game board constructed for use in playing the game of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the game board of Figure 1 located in the center of a. playing table and portraying. a game in progress; the respective hands of the four players being exposed to view and the counters of the four players and the reserve and discard stacks of the cards being shown as they would be in a typical game;

Figure 3 shows one of each of the thirteen cards used in the game of this invention; and

Figure 4 is a. side elevation of a suitable counter or "man for use in playing the game of the present invention.

As shown in the drawings the preferred form of the game board comprises a board which is in the form of a rectangle having a circuit disposed around its margins. The circuit begins at the "Start space I and advances in a counterclockwise direction around the periphery of the board and on all four of its sides, ending up with Home space H9, which is located at the same corner of the board as the Start Space I;

At different points in the circuit various notations are found which control the progress of the game. Thus space 2 contains the notation Start federal prison and signifies that a man coming outof the federal prison I22 shall resume his progress in the circuit at space 2 which is of the same color as federal prison I22, namely, alternating stripes of red and blue. At spaces 5 and 6 there are found the numerals 1 and 3 which signify that the player whose man comes to rest thereupon shall discard one and three cards respectively from his hand. At space 8 there is a notation Advance 9 spaces which signifies that a man coming to rest thereupon shall advance nine spaces. At space I2 there is found the notation Advance to blue dot which signifies that a man coming to rest upon space I2 shall thereupon advance in the circuit to space 32 which contains blue dot I20. At space I8 is found the notation Discard 1 marijuana which signifies that the player whose man comes to rest upon this space shall thereupon discard one Marijuana card as more fully set forth below. At space 25 there is found the notation "Return to red dot which signifies that a man coming to rest upon this space shall be moved back in the circuit to space 3 which contains red dot I2I. Spaces 21, 60 and 81 each contain a black dot I23, I24 and I38 the purpose of which will be presently apparent. Space 41 contains the notation Advance to black dot which signifies that a man coming to rest upon this space shall advance to the next black dot in the circuit, namely, I24. Space 58 contains the notation "Go back to black dot, meaning that a man coming to rest upon this space is to be moved back to the preceding black dot, namely, I23.

Throughout the circuit will be found designations similar to those described above, the meaning of which will be readily apparent in view of the foregoing description.

In space 62 there is found the notation "Start federal prison which signifies that a man coming out of federal prison I25 shall resume his progress in the circuit at this space 62, which is colored in the same manner as federal prison I25, namely, with alternating stripes of yellow and green.

Opposite space 3 there is found a notation Start county jail red" which signifies that a man coming out of the red county jail I26 shall resume his progress in the circuit at space 3. Spaces 3 to 25, and 29 to 3| are colored red so as to indicate that a man who is compelled by the vagaries of the game to go to a county jail while on these spaces shall go to a county jail of the same color, namely, red county jail I26.

Similarly spaces 32 to 58 inclusive are colored blue so .as to correspond to county jail I21 to which a man compelled to county jail while in this portion of the circuit must retire. Opposite space 32 is found the notation "Start county jail blue" signifying that a man leaving blue county jail I21 shall resume the circuit at this space 32.

When a man is on that portion of the circuit --falling between spaces 2 to 25 and 29 to 58 both inclusive, which portion of the circuit is colored red and blue, he is under the jurisdiction of federal prison I22 which contains the same colors.

If he is forced to go to federal prison while on this portion of the circuit, he must retire to federal prison I22, and on leaving federal prison I22 shall resume the circuit at space 2 as above indicated.

Opposite space 63 is found the notation Start county jail yellow, which denotes that a man coming out of yellow county jail I28 shall resume the circuit at this space. Spaces 83 to 85 and 89 to SI, both inclusive, are colored yellow so as to correspond to the color of county jail I28 and to indicate that a man forced into county jail while progressing on this portion of the circuit shall retire .to county jail I28.

Opposite space 92 is found the designation Start here county jail green which means that a man coming out of green county jail I29 shall resume the circuit at space 92. Spaces 92 to H8 inclusive are colored green which signifies that a man who, traversing this portion of the circuit, is forced into county jail must retire to green county jail I29.

Federal prison I25 contains the colors yellow and green and therefore signifies that a man traversing the portion of the circuit which is colored yellow and green, namely, that portion between spaces 62 to 85 and 89 to H8, both inclusive, is under the jurisdiction of this federal prison and if forced into federal prison while on this portion of the circuit, must retire to federal prison I25. On coming out of federal prison I25 such a man shall resume the circuit at space 52, as above indicated.

The corners spaces of the circuit, namely, spaces 26 to 28, 59 to 6|, and 86 to 88, are colored gray so as to signify that a man who is upon any of these gray spaces may not be forced into either a county jail or a federal prison even though the circumstances of play are such as would normally force him into retirement were he on any portion of the circuit containing the colors red, blue, yellow or green. Thus a player whose man occupies any of these gray spaces is said to be in "Protection and he cannot be penalized by any other player.

On the face of the board there is provided an area I38 designated as Cache which is of substantially the same size as-the cards used in the game and upon which it is intended that the undealt cards shall be placed face downward. On

the face of the board opposite from the Cache I38 there is provided a space I3I denoted as City dump" which is provided for receiving the cards discarded by the players during the progress of the game. I

In orderto play the game there is provided a pair of dice I32 shown in Figure 2. There is also provided for each player a man such as man I33, shown in Figure 4. In the typical game set up in Figure 2, the men are shown as I34 belonging to player A, I35 belonging to player B, I36 belonging to player C and I3! belonging to player D.

In Figure 3 there is shown one of each of the cards employed in the deck used in playing the game. This deck consists of '72 cards as follows: 18 Marijuana 9 Destroy 5 Extra throw 3 Federal agent County sheriff Constable Five year release Ten year release Pardon Move back I space Move back 3 spaces Move 2 spaces Move 4 spaces A typical method of carrying out the game will now be described. It is to be understood that modifications may be made therein, however, without departing from the spirit of the inventive thought involved herein.

The game may be played by, any number of players greater than one although it is preferred to have either two, three or four "players so that each player may be situated opposite a side of the game board. Four players are preferable although a greater number may play. When using extremely large numbers of players it may be necessary to enlarge the pack of cards so that WWOOODODUIJDFOD there will be sufficient cards to take care of the dealing and yet have a considerable reserve of undealt cards to go into the Cache. The game will be described as though there were four players.

The deck of I2 cards, described above, is first shuflied and six cards are dealt to each player. The undealt cards are placed in a pile face downward in the space designated Cache. The players then take turns at playing. Each player throws the dice I32, and starting his man at the Start space 'shall move his man forward on the circuit a number of spaces equal to the number thrown on the dice. An exception is noted herein that if a player throws doubles on the dice, he throws the dice again and then moves his man forward a number of spaces equal to that shown by the second throw. If he throws doubles on the second throw, he moves backward the number of spaces the dice indicate, provided that this move backwards does not carry him back of the Start space I, and surrenders the dice to the next player.

The object of the game is, of course, to see which of the players can first reach the Home space II9.

When a players man stops on any of the numbered spaces the player discards that number of cards from his playing hand. The player then draws from the Cache a number of cards equal to that discarded so as to always maintain the number of cards held in his hand equal to six.

Should a players man come to rest upon a space containing the notation Discard 1 Marijuana, the player then must discard one Marijuana card if he has any Marijuana" cards in his hand.

In discarding as a result of a man's coming to rest upon a numbered space, any of the cards in a player's hand may be discarded. Cards other than Marijuana" cards may be discarded only in the space designated City dump. "Marijuana cards can be discarded either in the City dump or in a player's private dump, which is any part of the space assigned to him on his side of the playing board. It is a rule of the game that Marijuana cards can be discarded on the City dump only. when they are covered by a "Destroy card taken from the discarding player's hand and played simultaneously with the Marijuana card or cards. Marijuana cards not covered by a "Destroy card can be discarded only in a player's own private dump, where they must be discarded face upwards and separated from each other. Only Marijuana cards without a Destroy" card may be discarded in a players private dump.

If a player discards one or more cards bearing the notation Move back 1 space, "Move back 3 spaces, Move 2 spaces or Move 4 spaces, each of these commands must be complied with by the player as he makes his discard. This will be more fully explained below.

A Marijuana card exposed in a player's own private dump is open to the playing of a penalty card thereupon by any other player who is eligible to discard one or more cards except when that other player himself is occupying either the county jail or federal prison. There are three types of penalty cards which can thus be played upon the Marijuana" card. They are the Constable, County sheriff and Federal agent cards.

A player penalized by either a Constable card or a County sheriff card must at once remove his man to the county jail of the same color as the space which his man occupied when the player was penalized. A player who is penalized by either of such cards while his man is on space 2 which is colored red and blue must remove his man to red county jail I26. Similarly a player who is penalized by either of such cards while his man is on space 62 shall remove his man to ye]- low county jail I28.

A player penalized by a Federal agent card must at once remove his man to the federal prison which contains the same color as that of or a federal prison that player must on his turn discard one card from his hand either to the City dump or, in case of a release card, upon his penalized Marijuana" card and draw one card from the top of the Cache pile until he has been able to play the correct release or pardon cards one at a time on the penalty card which has been placed upon his Marijuana card. But he is not entitled to throw the dice on his turn at play or to discard penalty cards on other players exposed Marijuana cards, or to move the men in play in accordance with advance or retrogression cards, such as Move back 1 space, etc., which he discards or to take any part in the game other than discarding one card and drawing one card from the Cach" at his turn.

Provision is made for the release of a player's man from the disabling spaces denoted as County jails and Federal prisons by discarding release cards upon the penalty card, upon his turn at play. These release cards must be discarded only one at a time. Thus a' player penalized by a Constable card may obtain the release of his man from the county jail by playing upon the penalty card either a Five year release card or a "Pardon card. A player penalized with a "County sheriff card may obtain the release of his man from the county jail by playing upon the penalty card either one Ten year-release" card, two five year release cards (to be played one at a time), or a Pardon" card.

A player penalized with a Federal agent card may release his man from federal prison by playing upon the penalty card either one Ten year release card and a Pardon card or two Five year release" cards and a Pardon card. In either event these cards must be played one at a time.

In Figure 2 of the drawings player A has been forced to discard or has voluntarily discarded a Marijuana" card upon his private dump, whereupon some other player has played a Federal agent card thereupon. Immediately, player A's man 53% was removed to federal prison I22 where he is shown. Subsequently player A has played upon thefFederal agent penalty card a "Ten year release card looking towards the release of his man from the federal prison. A "Pardon card is shown in player As hand and when his next turn comes to play he will be able to play this Pardon card upon top of the Ten year release card and thereupon remove his man we to space 2 to resume the circuit.

Likewise in Figure 2 of the drawings, player D has discarded a Marijuana card in his'private dump whereupon some other player has in his turn played upon that card a County sheriff card, forcing D's man I31 to retire from the green portion of the circuit to green county jail I29. Player D must now in his turn at play draw one card at a'time from the Cache pile, discarding one card each time he draws a card, until he is able to draw the proper release card or cards'to play upon the penalty card, and thereby to release his man from jail I29 to resume the circuit at space 92.

If a man comes to rest upon a space containing the notation "Discard I marijuana card that player must discard one Marijuana" card as explained above. However, should that player not have in his hand any Marijuana cards, this normal requirement is'not enforced and he is not required to discard any cards.

The discarded cards may comprise one or more cards bearing the notations Move back 1 space," Move back 3 spaces," Move 2 spaces and Move 4 spaces. Upon discardingone or more of these cards the player so discarding must act according to the instructions contained thereon either to advance or move back his own or his opponents man or men the number of spaces signified. Thus if the player discards a Move back 3 spaces card, he may move his own man back for three spaces or he may move his own man backward less than three spaces and move a man belonging to one of his opponents a suflicient number of spaces to make up the required three spaces. Or, leaving his own man alone, he might move his opponents man back three spaces or again leaving his own man alone he might move one opponent's man back two spaces and another opponents man back one space. In other words he can apply the command of such discarded cards to any one or more of the men in play. If he simultaneously discards more than one such card he may comply with the combined commands of these cards in any manner. Thus if he discards both a Move back 3 spaces card and a "Move 2 spaces card he might move his own man ahead two spaces and move any one of his opponents men back three spaces or he might move his own man back only 1 space which would comply with the additive effect of these two commands.

If, as a result of a discarding player's obedience to the command or commands given by such cards, his or his opponent's man comes to rest on any of the numbered spaces, .or Discard 1 marijuana" spaces or other spaces bearing a command, the player owning such man must at once comply with such command in the manner described above and await his next regular turn at play.

A player whose man is in either county jail or federal prison may not discard a "Marijuana card except when he in drawing obtains a full hand of Marijuana" cards, in which event he must discard the entire hand to the "City dump and draw an entirely new hand of six playing cards from the Cache.

A player who discards an "Extra throw" card is entitled to and must throw the dice again and move his man in accordance with such extra throw. A player discarding Extra throw" cards is entitled to only one extra throw even though he discards more than one "Extra throw" card at one time.

If a player's man comes to rest upon a space already occupied by any other players man he must move that other players man back ten spaces. To win a player must reach the Home space H9 by an exact throw of the dice or by the aid of discarding a card directing him to advance his man exactly the number of spaces required to reach the "Home space.

When the Cache pile becomes exhausted, the cards in the "City dump pile are shuflled by the player drawing the last card from the Cache and are used as the Cache pile.

A player may remove an exposed "Marijuana card from his private dump, upon his regular turn or play by means of a "Destroy card. For example, a player who by virtue of his man stopping on a numbered space is entitled to discard one or more cards, may play a Destroy card on his exposed Marijuana card and may then remove them to the City dump. This is termed Destroying marijuana.

It is to be understood that in the progress of the game the several players will obey the instructions which are contained in the spaces upon which their men come to rest, such as spaces containing various move forward and backward instructions. This feature 01' the game will be obvious to those skilled in the art without further instructions.

While in Figure 2 the hands of the several players are exposed, it is to be understood that in actual play, the several players keep their hands concealed from their opponents.

A suitable title for the game is either Marijuana or "Destroy marijuana."

While I have given a detailed description of one method in which I have found it advantageous to play'the game, it will be obvious that numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the inventive thought. For example, the circuit may obviously be in the form of a circle, the number of playing cards may be changed and numerous other changes may be made in the mode of carrying out the game without departing from the invention. Such modifications and changes as fall within the terms of the appended claims are to be considered as within the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A game board having a playing surface -having on said surface an extended circuit of spaces, said circuit being divided into a plurality of portions of different colors each of said portions comprising a plurality of consecutive spaces of one color so as to form an extended path of a single color, at least one protective space located between two spaces forming a path of a single color and a plurality of distinctive imprisonment areas located wholly within said circuit and comprising areas which correspond in colors to the color of the spaces of each path, said color paths each comprising the same number of spaces.

2. A game board having a playing surface having on said surface an extended circuit of spaces, said circuit being divided into a plurality of portions of different colors each of said portions comprising a plurality of consecutive spaces of one color so as to form an extended path of a single color, at least one protective space located between two spaces forming a path of a single color and a plurality of distinctive imprisonment areas located wholly within said circuit and comprising areas which correspond in colors to the color of the spaces of each path, and at least one additional single space located within. said circuit between two paths of difierent color, and an additional imprisonment area located wholly within said circuit of a distinctly different color than the colors of said path spaces but corresponding in color to said additional space, said color paths each comprising the same number of spaces.

R. EUGENE FLORY. 

